Phi Kappa (Catholic fraternity)

Phi Kappa (ΦΚ) was a social fraternity founded on October 1, 1889 by a group of Catholic students at Brown University who were refused entrance to other fraternities because of their faith. On April 29, 1959, Phi Kappa merged with a similar fraternity Theta Kappa Phi to form Phi Kappa Theta.

For other uses, see Phi Kappa (disambiguation).
Phi Kappa
ΦΚ
FoundedOctober 1, 1889 (1889-10-01)
Brown University
TypeSocial
AffiliationNIC (former)
EmphasisCatholic students
ScopeNational (US)
MottoLoyalty to God and College
Member badge
Colors  Purple,   White and   Gold
FlowerOphelia Rose
JewelAmethyst
PublicationYippa-Yappa
   later, The Temple
Chapters40 installed
Merged, to createPhi Kappa Theta

History

Phi Kappa's origin came as a local society at Brown University called Phi Kappa Sigma, meaning Fraternity of Catholic Students.[1] The Founders were:[2]

  • Dennis J. Holland
  • Joseph Mary Killelea
  • Edward S. Kiley
  • James M. Gillrain
  • Edward DeV. O'Connor
  • James E. Smith
  • Arthur F. McGinn
  • James E. Brennan
  • Edward F. Cunningham
  • John J. Fitzgerald
  • Thomas P Corcoran
  • Joseph Kirwen
  • William H. Magill

The Founders did not have in mind the establishment of a full-fledged fraternity, but merely sought to establish a club for Catholic students. However, they soon realized the existence of a much older society with the same name, so in 1900 the name was changed to Phi Kappa. Even though Phi Kappa had its birth in 1889, it celebrated Founders Day as April 29, 1902, the same day as its incorporation under the laws of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. From the beginning the organization emphasized loyalty to alma mater and remained a home for Catholic students who were otherwise unable to join other fraternities.[1]

Expansion was sought out at large schools, and not specifically Catholic institutions. Its Beta chapter was placed at the University of Illinois in 1912 with the adoption of the local Loyola Club. This was soon followed by Gamma chapter at Penn State in 1913. Many of its chapters came from absorption of earlier local groups or Catholic clubs.[3]

Phi Kappa joined the NIC in 1916.

Phi Kappa went on to form 40 chapters prior to its merger with Theta Kappa Phi on April 29, 1959, at which time the two Catholic-affinity fraternities formed Phi Kappa Theta.[1]

At the time of the merger it was found that, despite the size of both organizations, there were only five schools where both fraternities existed: Illinois, Penn State, Ohio State, Missouri and Wisconsin. 32 chapters were active at the time of the merger.[3]

Symbols and traditions

The Fraternity's original magazine was first published in 1916. It was called the Yippa-Yappa, after the nickname of the brotherhood during its early days at Brown.

The badge was square, situated in diamond fashion (called a quatrefoil), with amethysts at each corner. The sides were finished with pearls. The Greek letter Κ, etched, was in the center, superimposed by the Greek letter Φ, in plain (Roman) finish.

The colors were Purple, White, and Gold.

The Fraternity flower was the "Ophelia Rose".[1]

Chapters

The chapters of Phi Theta in 1959. Active chapters at the time of the merger noted in bold, inactive chapters at the merger noted in italics. Information from Baird's 20th ed., unless otherwise noted.[1]

Chapter Institution Location Dates of activity Notes References
Alpha Brown University Providence, Rhode Island October 1, 1889–1930
Beta University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois 1912 Originally the Loyola Club (local)
Chapters merged, now the Illinois Beta Delta chapter of ΦΚΘ
Gamma Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania 1913 Chapters merged, now the Pennsylvania Beta Gamma chapter of ΦΚΘ
Delta University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 1914–1932, 1947
Epsilon University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas 1915
Zeta Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana 1918
Eta Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts 1918
Theta Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 1920 Chapters merged, now the Ohio Gamma Theta chapter of ΦΚΘ
Iota Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas 1921
Kappa University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri 1923–1935, 1948 Chapters merged, now the Missouri Kappa Upsilon chapter of ΦΚΘ
Lambda University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, Wisconsin 1923 Chapters merged, now the Wisconsin Lambda chapter of ΦΚΘ [4]
Mu University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1923
Nu University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 1924–1935
Xi Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1924
Omicron University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 1925 [3]
Pi University of Nebraska–Lincoln Lincoln, Nebraska 1925–1934
Rho Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1925
Sigma Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York 1925
Tau Syracuse University Syracuse, New York 1925–1935
Upsilon University of Maine Orono, Maine 1926–1935
Phi University of Denver Denver, Colorado 1927–1933, 1949
Chi Bucknell University Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 1929–1933
Psi Ohio University Athens, Ohio 1929
Omega Catholic University of America Washington, D.C. 1930
Alpha Alpha Indiana University Bloomington Bloomington, Indiana 1939
Alpha Beta Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio 1941
Alpha Gamma colony Trine University Angola, Indiana 1943–194x Named, but never installed
A later chapter of ΦΚΘ was installed in 1966		 [5]
Alpha Epsilon University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota 1947
Alpha Delta Washington State University Pullman, Washington 1949
Alpha Zeta University of Wyoming Laramie, Wyoming 1950
Alpha Eta Manhattan College Riverdale, Bronx, New York 1950
Alpha Theta Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon 1951
Alpha Iota University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 1951
Alpha Kappa Butler University Indianapolis, Indiana 1953
Alpha Lambda Spring Hill College Mobile, Alabama 1955
Alpha Mu University of Houston Houston, Texas 1956
Alpha Nu Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, California 1956
Alpha Xi Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1957 [3]
Alpha Omicron Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona 1958 [3]
Alpha Pi University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas 1959 [3]

References
  1. Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-15-16. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. Phi Kappa Theta's History notes nine founders, but Baird's goes on to note four more. Baird's list is shown here. Three of these men are the first initiates, Magill, Fitzgerald and Corcoran, with the addition of Kirwen.
  3. William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), page showing inactive men's groups". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 18 November 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  4. Due to the age of the ΦΚ chapter, the 2-yr old chapter (colony?) of ΘΚΦ was absorbed without a name change at the merger.
  5. Regarding the Trine (Tri-State) chapter, there was a Catholic club on that campus beginning in 1929. This became a local, ΑΓΩ in 1940, and is listed as the predecessor to the existing ΦΚΘ chapter. However, it may be that this group of Catholic students signed up as a colony with ΦΚ in 1943, a colony that was named but (apparently) never installed as a chapter. Alternatively, that effort may have simply incorporated another set of Catholic students. It's a moot point today, as Phi Kappa and Theta Kappa Phi would merge in 1959 to form Phi Kappa Theta, with a chapter placed on campus in 1966 - chapter records may have further information.
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